Stranger Things Have Happened
by Fireworks8725
Summary: One second Ianto closed his eyes while in Jack's arms in Thames House, and the next second he is on the hard floor of the TARDIS, alone. How could this have happened? Can the Doctor figure out why Ianto was sent to him? Can he save Ianto from his fate to die by alien virus? Set after Day 4 of Children of Earth. Jack/Ianto
1. Welcome to the TARDIS

Stranger Things Have Happened

Chapter 1: Welcome to the TARDIS

A Torchwood/Doctor Who Crossover

I just finished watching Children of Earth and all I can think of is no one is ever truly dead on Doctor Who! Enter: The TARDIS to the rescue.

….

Ianto shot straight up and let out a loud gasp for air that was surprisingly clear and uncontaminated by alien virus. His eyes darted from side to side, taking in his surroundings. They didn't match up with what he was looking at 20 seconds ago before he had closed his eyes.

Everything was new and lights were flashing on and off on dials on a huge circular panel before him. Something stirred in his memory that correlated with what his eyes were seeing, but he couldn't make the connection.

"Jack?" He said aloud, with a course voice. He still felt weak. Just seconds ago he was dying, what had happened? A miracle?

A face rounded the circular panel and stared him down.

"Allo then." The man said.

"You're not Jack." Ianto said in a confused tone, slightly let down. He didn't know what he expected really. For Jack to be looking down on him with that smile and tell him everything is fine now and let's scoot over for tea.

"Jack? No, I'm The Doctor. Nice to meet you…"

"Ianto."

"Ianto! Yes! Of course!"

Ianto was glad this all made sense to someone. Of course, being a very smart man, he started to piece things together. This was Jack's Doctor; the mad man with the blue box. They must be inside the box now. Jack really wasn't fibbing; it WAS bigger on the inside. He had only ever seen the Doctor once before, but given the circumstances of the Dalek invasion, he hadn't remembered his face right away.

"Has Jack sent you then? How did he manage to land you on my ship? Clever lad. Is he coming round?" The Doctor asked, walked over to Ianto and offering a hand so he could get off the hard floor.

"No, Jack hasn't sent me. I don't know how he would. It's complicated." Ianto said.

"Ah, well it always is! Anyway welcome to my TARDIS. Lucky for you, I'm one traveller short, I'm happy to have you along a bit." The Doctor grinned wildly like it was all some fun game.

"I think I need your help. See, a moment ago I was in London and Jack was there and something very bad was happening..." Ianto tried explaining in a way that didn't sound mad. "I don't know how I got here, or why or anything."

"I love a mystery! You came to the right man, whether it was on purpose or not! I'll set this right and get you back where you came from."

"That's what I was afraid of." Ianto muttered to himself as the Doctor pulled down a lever and they both went sideways, soaring along through space in the great blue box.


	2. Under a Blue Sky

Stranger Things Have Happened

Chapter 2: Under a Blue Sky

Ianto was growing ever more panicked with every button the Doctor pressed. They were flying at an angle, and being tossed wildly around like salad. There was no time to think or figure out the situation at hand, when the TARDIS came to a sudden abrupt stop.

Ianto's face slapped the grated floor as he heard the Doctor tumble headfirst into the pit below.

"Alright?" The Doctor hollered out, above the hum of the TARDIS machinery.

"Yeah, you?"

"Oh, never better! Nothing like a good old tumble." He grinned wildly, jumping back up to his feet and straightening out his blue fitted vest.

"Why did that happen?" Ianto wondered aloud, figuring the Doctor should be more than able to properly fly his own ship.

"Oh, it just does that time to time." He scrunched up his eyebrows and looked at one of the screens. "I tried getting into London, but there's a hullabaloo there right now and I can't squeeze in." He pouted.

Ianto considered himself a smart man, but he was feeling conflicted over whether he should be glad that the Doctor couldn't take him back. He didn't want to die, but what other choice could he have? What must Jack think, seeing him disappear? Or, has he died already? Was he just a ghost?

When Ianto broke free of his thoughts, he looked up at the Doctor, who was staring pointedly at him.

"Let's have a look outside and see where she's taken us Ianto. Then, I'll try to get a hold of Jack." The Doctor suggested. He seemed to know more than he was letting on, by allowing more time to pass without resolving why Ianto was there.

The TARDIS was known for popping into the wrong time, even the wrong planet, and this time was no exception. Ianto realized right away something was wrong.

"The, um…the sky…" Ianto started.

"Is blue, yes." The Doctor finished proudly.

"Do you know where we are?"

"No, no idea! Absolutely brilliant!" He smiled.

Ianto laughed at the fact there was no trace of sarcasm in the Doctor's voice. He was genuinely happy to be lost.

Ianto walked ahead and started analyzing his surroundings. It was his first time leaving Earth.

He looked back at the Doctor who was standing still, and still staring at him.

"Right then, Ianto, tell me about what is happening on London…" The Doctor said, breaking his stare.

They walked along together as Ianto described the 456 and how they wanted children. The Doctor nodded and listened, looking neither shocked nor surprised by the information.

Ianto struggled about the details of his own demise, choosing to leave out the last moments with Jack.

He never thought he would miss him so much. Maybe if it had happened another way, it wouldn't be so hard to think of Jack going on all alone.

While Ianto spoke, the Doctor thought back to a few weeks ago when he had another unexpected guest when he popped in at the Rift in Cardiff to charge up the TARDIS….


	3. Jack

Stranger Things Have Happened

Chapter 3: Jack

(3 weeks ago)

The Doctor was hot off the victory of restoring the Earth to its rightful place in the sky. He had just popped into the Rift to charge up, and was sitting alone in the TARDIS, planning his next trip.

He wasn't deeply surprised when a knock came upon his door. He was however surprised to see Captain Jack Harkness, whom he had just dropped off.

This Jack was different though. This Jack didn't just have a victory with him and run along to be reunited with his friends at Torchwood. This Jack, was scarred.

"Doctor, I feel awful. I need your help. I need you to break the rules."

The Doctor invited Jack in, and looked upon him with hesitation.

"Jack, be careful what you are about to ask of me. I'm not a miracle line."

He didn't seem too much older than the Jack he had just seen, but he was exhausted, his eyes wet and red. There were no traces of the sly bouncy Jack that the TARDIS was familiar with.

Jack pleaded to the Doctor, "I'm going to live forever. Forever is a lot to handle, and I thought I could. I thought, if I could just have this one thing…this one person, just for a little while, it could make things so much more bearable…I wish I could have died. Died, instead of him. Do you remember Ianto?"

The Doctor felt badly that he did not really remember the person that Jack was now outwardly weeping about. The TARDIS buzzed along beside them, as if it were listening in, and was now crying with Jack.

"Is there any way…ANY way Doctor, that you could save him? Just, you know, take him away before he could die and give him back to me?" He looked up at the Doctor, knowing it couldn't be possible, but needing to ask anyways, to know he had tried.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I am so so sorry. You know I can't do that." The Doctor said sadly.

Jack wiped away a tear and straightened himself out. "I know. I know. I'm just a fool." He smiled sadly. He looked around. "No companion travelling with you?" He asked, not knowing what time the Doctor was coming from.

"No, I have a vacancy actually. Interested?" The Doctor asked.

"No thanks. I've had my fill on danger for the time being. I'm going to law low for a while." Jack said, heading for the door. "Hey, Doctor…if you happen to see Ianto, you know, in the past, would you just say hi for me? Make sure he's alright?"

"Okay, I will." The Doctor replied, watching Jack step outside and close the door.

The Doctor finished charging up, and tried to take off. The TARDIS choked and shut down. He restarted it, but it happened again. He stomped down into the engine and found it full of water. He was bewildered. He drained the water and charged her up again, and then she finally took off.

The TARDIS had really been crying…

.

Listening to Ianto talk, on the Planet with the Blue sky, The Doctor thought back to his conversation with Jack, and started piecing together the puzzle…


End file.
